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Wednesday, May 18, 2016

My smart and sweet new dermatologist is Dr. Nancy J. Samolitis, who recently opened Facile Skin in West Hollywood, CA. I went to see her to try a chemical peel to boost the results I have been seeing with my retinols, and I loved her so much that I've decided to start seeing her every month! Since I've been using the PCA Clarity Retinol diligently for the last couple months, I had a handful of questions for her.

1. What exactly is a retinol and why is it a popular ingredient?

Retinol has been around for at least 50 years and is one of the few skin treatments that has been proven over-and-over to improve one's skin. Retinol is basically a Vitamin A derivative from animals so it's already in our bodies.

2. What are the expected results from regular retinol use?

Adding retinol into your regular skincare routine will increase your skin's natural cell turnover rate, remove dead skin cells that clog pores and increase collagen production. Some of the other benefits are the reduction in fine lines, wrinkles, breakouts and discolorations. I really love PCA SKIN and its new collection of R-OH Retinol Solutions are formulated with additional support ingredients to effectively target areas of concern such as aging, discoloration or acne. One tip to remember with retinol is that you have to use it regularly as prescribed and be patient with it as it takes time to see results.

3. Since I suffer from hormonal acne, how can retinol help to fight breakouts?

Retinol helps to fight breakouts by reducing oil production, inflammation and by stimulating cell turnover so cells don't get trapped in the pores which is where acne starts.

4. Will retinol help with my acne scarring?

It certainly does help to fade any spots and minimize the appearance of scars and it will clear and brighten your complexion. In fact, we chose PCA SKIN as our only retinol product to carry at FACILE, not only because it's our favorite but it's a great option for people that don't tolerate Retin-A.

People concerned about breakouts and scars should consider the PCA SKIN Intensive Clarity Treatment because it's specifically formulated for acne with added ingredients — including niacinamide and the acne drug salicylic acid — that effectively complement retinol for fighting breakouts.

5. Which strength retinol is the best?

When it comes to retinol, stronger does not mean better. It's all about the delivery system and not the percentage that is stated on the package. Unlike over-the-counter options, PCA SKIN's R-OH Retinol Solutions do not base their efficiency on just percentages but uses its OmniSome delivery technology to protect and carry ingredients deep into the skin. This multilayered liposome delivers the retinol in a time-released fashion over ten hours to increase efficacy, delivering better results.

6. Why does retinol cause irritation? Can you use it if you have sensitive skin?

Retinol does have the potential to overstimulate the skin which can cause redness and peeling. A lot of retinol products are packaged in a way that does not carry the product in the best way. The good news is that the right delivery systems, like the OmniSome delivery system, can greatly help when it comes to irritation that is common with retinol use.

With a smart delivery system, retinol is delivered into the deeper layers of skin, instead of just sitting on the surface of the skin, which is what results in irritation. One reason retinol is a good choice for skin care is that is inherently less irritating that the prescription retinoic acid, which is effective, but quite irritating.

7. Do I have to avoid the sun completely while using retinol?

It's a wide myth that retinol makes your skin sensitive and turn red but there is no reason that you can't use retinol if you're spending time in the sun. Just make sure to use a broad spectrum sunscreen, reapply frequently, and avoid direct exposure to the treated areas. It's a fact that the sun exposure is what causes a lot of the damage that we are trying to correct with retinol in the first place.

Now that I have fallen in love with PCA SKIN's Intensive Clarity Treatment for my acne, I absolutely can't live without it. PCA SKIN has generously donated three grand prize retinol skincare regimens — one for Acne, one for Aging, and one for Discoloration. Each of these PCA SKIN power house packages includes five handpicked products and is valued at over $300, so don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity to try some of the most efficacious skin care on the market!

The best news is that my first two hundred readers to sign up for any of the grand prizes below, will receive a retinol trio sampler including the Intensive Clarity Treatment®: 0.5% pure retinol night to reduce and prevent breakouts, the Intensive Brightening Treatment®: 0.5% pure retinol night to reduce wrinkles and build collagen, and the Intensive Brightening Treatment®: 0.5% pure retinol night to reduce dark spots and skin yellowing. So no matter what your concern is, there's a retinol solution for you! We will be emailing the first 200 very soon, so please make sure you sign up with an email address that you actually check. That way, we can send off the samples to you sooner!

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

I'm back from my first road trip and feeling more refreshed and motivated than ever! I was feeling stretched to my stress limit so being out in the wild, without the constant distractions of social media, truly lifted my spirits. I was snapvlogging as much of it as I could, though! The lush forests in Oregon, the waterfalls in Canada, the view of the NorCal coast, it was nearly overwhelming in natural untouched beauty. I had to share it!!

So because I've been packing and unpacking a ridiculous amount of times and in general, because I've been trying to sleep earlier, I've kept things minimal. Being short on both time + space over the last couple weeks has taught me I really don't need all that much anyway. My evening essentials do include a couple sensory luxuries, such as my candles and perfume. But the rest of it is straightforward and practical, with a multi-tasking retinol and moisturizer combo that has helped heal my skin so much! I hope you enjoy this video, and let me know if you'd like to see a morning must-haves edition xo